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        <h1 class="story-title">Netflix raises monthly fees after a record jump in new subscribers</h1>
        <p>By Manuela López Restrepo</p>
        
          <p>Wednesday, January 22, 2025 • 5:08 PM EST</p>
        
        
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        <p>First, the good news. Netflix reported <a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2024/q4/FINAL-Q4-24-Shareholder-Letter.pdf" target="_blank">a record increase in the number of new subscribers </a>for the final quarter of 2024, attributing the success to high-profile live sports events and new programs. Now, the bad news: The company also announced its raising its subscription prices across the board.<br></p><p><h3><strong>Three things to know:</strong></h3></p><p><ol><li>The company reported nearly 19 million new subscribers during the last fiscal quarter of 2024, their largest subscription jump ever during a three-month period. That puts them at a total of 302 million global subscribers, the most of any streaming platform.<br></li><li>Netflix also announced a bump in prices for all subscription tiers in the U.S. The  standard account with ads now costs $7.99 per month, ad-free subscriptions are $17.99, while the premium plan is $24.99. This reflects price hikes of $1, $2.50 and $2 per month, respectively.<br></li><li>This comes months after Netflix's <a href="/2024/07/19/nx-s1-5046733/netflix-ends-its-cheapest-ad-free-subscription#:~:text=Basic%20plan%20subscribers%20can%20switch,plan%20for%20%2422.99%20per%20month" target="_blank">last price hike</a>, when the company eliminated its least expensive, ad-free option.</li></ol></p><p><hr /></p><p><strong>Want more? The </strong><a href="/podcasts/510282/pop-culture-happy-hour" target="_blank"><strong><em><u>Pop Culture Happy Hour</u></em></strong></a><strong><em> </em>podcast suggests and dissects the buzziest new movies, TV, music, books, videogames and more, five days a week.</strong></p><p><hr /></p><p><h3><strong>What's Netflix doing right?</strong></h3></p><p>Well, it seems that the company's forays into live sports have resonated with viewers.  In <a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2024/q4/FINAL-Q4-24-Shareholder-Letter.pdf" target="_blank"><u>their letter to investors</u></a>, the company focused on the success of their highly promoted live-streamed boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul on Nov. 15. The match drew 60 million households and, according to Netflix, makes it the most-streamed sporting event in history (despite <a href="/2024/11/16/nx-s1-5189528/netflixs-jump-into-the-ring-of-live-boxing-came-with-streaming-glitches" target="_blank">significant technical glitches,</a> which left subscribers fuming and critics wondering if Netflix could pull off such large-scale events.)</p><p>Its next big sporting events went off with far fewer problems: two <a href="/2024/12/26/nx-s1-5232865/beyonce-halftime-show-netflix-cowboy-carter-christmas" target="_blank">NFL matches</a> that streamed on the platform weeks later, and included a widely talked about Beyoncé halftime show. A <a href="/2025/01/07/1223358002/the-indicator-from-planet-money-why-netflix-spent-billions-for-wwe-01-07-2025" target="_blank">very expensive reboot of WWE wrestling</a> is also in the mix for 2025.</p><p>Another factor for Netflix's success? Popular shows that outperformed the company's expectations, like the second season of <a href="/2025/01/01/1222389481/squid-game-season-2-heads-back-into-the-arena" target="_blank"><em>Squid Game</em></a><em>. </em>The industry's largest streaming platform is hoping audiences are just as eager for other shows returning in 2025 with new seasons — such as <em>Wednesday</em> and <em>Stranger Things</em>.<br></p><p><h3><strong>Go deeper with NPR on all things entertainment</strong></h3></p><p><ul><li>Curious about the future of sports and streaming? <a href="/2025/01/17/nx-s1-5261006/australian-open-wii-animation" target="_blank">Learn why Australian Open live streams look like Wii Tennis</a>.<br></li><li>And for more cultural analysis, listen to the <a href="/podcasts/510317/its-been-a-minute" target="_blank"><em><u>It's Been a Minute</u></em></a> podcast, where host Brittany Luse goes beyond the obvious takes. Because culture doesn't happen by accident.</li></ul></p>
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